Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

That night.

Biyue Pavilion, the most prestigious brothel in Yanmen County, was brightly lit and filled with the sounds of music and singing.

Throughout the building, red candles burned brightly, making the carved beams and painted rafters appear even more magnificent.

The sounds of string and wind instruments, the chirping of orioles and swallows, seeped out from the cracks in the windows and doors, mingling with the aroma of wine and sesame oil, permeating half the street.

Inside the private room on the second floor, Master Zhao was embracing two young women, who were nestled in his arms, whispering sweet nothings.

Seeking out high mountains and exploring flowing waters, one truly finds a carefree and unrestrained life.

The two women chuckled and pretended to refuse, but their bodies pressed even closer together.

Master Zhao's face was shiny with oil, and he grinned broadly, looking quite pleased with himself.

Outside the door, two burly farmhands stood with their arms crossed, guarding the entrance firmly.

One faced the stairwell, eyes like a hawk; the other had his back to the door, ears that could hear everything.

Over the years, Master Zhao had engaged in many risky and risky activities in Yanmen County, including seizing land, lending money at exorbitant interest rates, and being involved in numerous murder cases. He was extremely cautious in his actions.

Having committed many despicable acts, he naturally became most afraid of death. Whenever he went out, he was always accompanied by these two trusted guards who never left his side.

Just as they were engrossed in their game, they suddenly heard someone outside the door whisper, "Master, Li Biao has something to discuss with you."

Master Zhao frowned, but his hand didn't leave that soft, smooth spot. He said impatiently, "This fellow is getting more and more unruly! What time is it, disturbing my pleasure!"

He cursed, but instead hugged the woman even tighter, kneading her hands vigorously, which made her let out a soft cry.

He liked to play with her like this in front of others, to show off his prestige and dignity as Master Zhao. The beautiful woman, whom ordinary people wouldn't even dare to look at directly, was just a plaything in his hands.

A short while later, the door was pushed open a crack, and Li Biao slipped in.

Li Biao was a weasel-faced man. Despite his usual roguish manner, he dared not raise his head at all upon seeing the lewd scene inside the room. He hurriedly lowered his eyes and respectfully bowed.

"What is it? Speak quickly!" Master Zhao glanced at him sideways, his hands still moving.

Li Biao swallowed hard and said in a low voice, "Sir, there's a man from Guanzhong who's looking for a living in our Yanmen County. He wants to pay his respects to you, to present a formal letter of introduction, as a way of establishing a connection. I wonder if you...?"

"Paying homage to the powerful?"

Master Zhao snorted, "What kind of cat or dog dares to come and see me? Li Biao, you're an old man now. Yanmen County needs to be quiet and peaceful. I don't like seeing those unclear and unstable things, do you understand?"

His voice suddenly turned cold, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his narrowed eyes.

Li Biao felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He nodded repeatedly, "Understood, understood! I understand!"

Master Zhao then withdrew his gaze, his nonchalant demeanor returning. He simply pinched the woman's chin and said to Li Biao, "Go, send that scoundrel away. If he brings in any more unknown people to cause trouble, you'll regret it! Got it?"

"I've got it! I've got it!"

Li Biao felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He lowered his head, backed out of the room, and gently closed the door behind him.

After playing around for a while, Master Zhao felt his hands were sticky, so he grabbed a silk handkerchief from the side and wiped them haphazardly.

Just as I was about to drink another cup, my lower abdomen suddenly felt bloated.

He frowned, pushed the woman beside him aside, and stood up, saying, "I'll be right back. You two wait here."

The two girls responded in sweet voices.

Master Zhao straightened his clothes and pushed open the door to go out. Two servants saw him come out and hurriedly tried to follow him.

Master Zhao waved his hand: "In the time it takes to take a piss, just guard the gate."

He went downstairs alone, passed through the noisy front hall, and headed towards the outhouse in the backyard. As he walked, he muttered curses under his breath: "This Biyue Pavilion, all they care about is building artificial hills and flowing water to appear cultured, making the outhouse so far away—it's utterly unreasonable!"

Originally, in order to appear elegant, the Biyue Pavilion was specially built separately in a corner of the back garden, separated from the pavilions for enjoyment in front by a corridor and a few clumps of bamboo.

Master Zhao hurried into the outhouse, found a clean stall, loosened his belt, and relieved himself with great pleasure.

Just as he closed his eyes to enjoy the relaxing feeling, he suddenly heard someone beside him whisper, "Master Zhao?"

Still urinating, Master Zhao mumbled, "Huh? Who called you sir?"

When he looked up, by the dim light shining through the corridor, he saw a man standing next to him, a burly man with an unfamiliar face whom he had never seen before.

Suspicious, and somewhat sobering up, he asked warily, "Who are you? How do you know the master...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the man suddenly stepped forward, raised his right hand, and threw a handful of white quicklime at him!

"Oh!"

Master Zhao screamed in agony, his eyes burning as if on fire, and everything went black.

He covered his eyes with his hands and staggered.

Zheng Tu wouldn't allow him to struggle.

A tiger pounced forward and pinned him to the ground.

Just as Master Zhao was about to cry for help, a large hand covered his mouth, silencing the rest of his scream.

Immediately following was a barrage of punches!

One punch, two punches, three punches... aimed at Master Zhao's temples, ears, and face, each punch more vicious than the last!

Every punch landed squarely, with muffled thuds echoing throughout.

At first, Master Zhao could still make some hissing sounds from his throat and kick his limbs wildly.

But after only three or five punches, the struggle weakened. After ten punches, he could only exhale and not inhale.

Zheng Tu continued relentlessly, delivering twenty or thirty punches until his arms ached. The man beneath him was already lifeless, his head limply tilted to one side.

Zheng Tu stopped, panting heavily.

He checked the person's breath and touched the side of their neck, confirming that they were completely dead.

He dared not linger, hastily wiped the blood and lime stains from his hands on Master Zhao's brocade robe, and slipped away.

All was silent, with only the faint sounds of commotion coming from the front building; no one noticed the bloody scene in the back garden.

Instead of taking the same route, he climbed over a low wall in the backyard, using the spot he had scouted during the day. He stumbled upon landing, almost falling, but after regaining his balance, he chose a dark, deserted alley and ran at full speed.

The night wind was icy cold, blowing against his burning face, but the stench of blood and the pungent smell of lime lingered.

Although he had agreed with Li Biao to introduce him to Master Zhao the next day, how could he trust such a street ruffian? He was even more afraid that things might get out of hand if he waited too long.

Therefore, after giving Li Biao some silver coins during the day, he followed him all the way.

I saw that the guy first made a ruckus at the gambling den, losing all his money, and then went to the tavern to drink a lot of alcohol. It wasn't until it was completely dark that he staggered towards the Biyue Pavilion.

He waited patiently in the shadows outside the pavilion for a long time, and finally this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arrived.

Zheng Tu dared not stop along the way, passing through streets and alleys until he returned to the inconspicuous little inn in the west of the city. He entered the simple room he had rented, bolted the door behind him, and leaned against the door. Only then did Zheng Tu feel as if all his strength had been drained away. His legs went weak, and he slid down the door to the ground.

This Master Zhao had a deep-rooted influence in Yanmen County, with many informants. He was always accompanied by strong servants who protected him when he went out, and it was not easy to get close to him.

He has informants everywhere in the county town; any unfamiliar face entering the town is likely to be spotted by someone.

But the more meticulous the precautions, the less prepared we are for that sudden, unpredictable, and deadly attack.

Even if Master Zhao was as cunning as a devil, how could he have imagined that a complete stranger from Guanzhong would risk his life in this brothel to take his life in the most brutal and direct way?

After sitting for a while, Zheng Tu mustered his strength, got up, felt his way to the bedside, and lay down fully clothed.

The tension that had been building up for a whole day, or even a whole month, finally eased. As soon as his body touched the hard bed, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave.

Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, at Biyue Pavilion, the two servants waited for Master Zhao for a long time until late at night, but he did not return. Knowing something was wrong, they mustered their courage and went to look for him. They found Master Zhao's body in the outhouse in the back garden.

The entire pavilion was immediately thrown into chaos. Some reported to the authorities, others cried and screamed, and the commotion continued until dawn.

Before things could calm down for a moment, arrest warrants from Weizhou arrived in Yanmen County on their own.